South Africa's Future

After four decades of domestic unrest and international condemnation, South Africa has jettisoned its policy of racial apartheid and started down the path to a non-racial democracy. Under a new, interim constitution -- adopted after three years of difficult negotiations -- the country's black majority will vote for the first time in national elections scheduled for April 27. Nelson Mandela, the once-imprisoned leader of the African National Congress, is all but certain to be chosen president of a five-year coalition government. But an alliance of white and black conservatives may boycott the election. Political violence also casts a shadow over the campaign. And observers question whether an ANC-led government will be able to meet the expectations of its newly enfranchised constituency.